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When the word legend is associated
with anyone in gospel music, you immediately know reference is being made to
someone who has been around gospel music for many years and has made a name for
himself in this genre. However, that does not apply to the group whose CD is
being reviewed this month.
The Gospel Legends are from Columbia, SC. And, some members of the group can
claim to have been around gospel music for a long time. Several of the guys
have family members that have been in the gospel music industry for years. You
might remember the late
Reverend Pringle and The
Melodyettes. However,
most of the group members are only in their twenties, so it is safe to say they
have not been around long enough to call themselves “Legends.” But, in a way,
they are legends.
This group has all of the trappings of many of the legendary groups; such as,
The Mighty Clouds of Joy,
The Gospel
Keynotes,
The Swanee Quintet,
The Soul Stirrers,
The Dixie Hummingbirds, and
even
The
Supreme Angels. When you listen to
The Gospel Legends, you get
the impression that they have been heavily influenced by these and other groups
from the early days of gospel quartet music. The group's sound also
reminds the listener of the type of gospel music that dominated the
airways in the 50s, 60s and 70s.
Listen to their rendition of "Sit Down Weary Servant." You can hear the
late Willie Neal Johnson and Joe Ligon's influence throughout this song.
Listen closely as Allen shouts "My feelings been hurt sometimes. . ."
And, when you hear "If You Can't Make It," you will realize that the guys have even
perfected the background harmony of
The Birds. This is one of the best songs on
the CD.
The lead singer, Allen Pringle, Sr., possesses that unique characteristic that
will make him one of the up and coming artists to be emulated by those desiring
to reach the heights obtained by
The Gospel Legends. He knows how to deliver a
song. And, yes, he can work a crowd.
Along with Pringle, the other members of the group are Williams Scott Pringle,
Sr., Jamie Mickens, Kevin Thompson, Chad Wood, William Pringle, Sr. and Mark Davis,
Sr.
The other songs on this project are "I Didn't Deserve It," "Go
Ahead," "Long Ago," "When We All Get Together,"
"Somebody Prayed For Me" (which is divided into two parts), "Trouble
Of This World," "We'll Understand," "When I Get In
Glory," "I Won't Have To Cry No More," and "Strengthen
Me."
The versatility of the group is shown with the song "Somebody Prayed For
Me." It showcases the guys' ability to handle ballads. The
guys' ability to tell a heartfelt story is also reflected in this song.
There are several drive songs on
this project. The guys put you on notice that they came to have 'church'
with "When I Get In Glory." This one deserves much
airplay. One of the best drive songs is "Go Ahead." After listening to the entire CD, it is safe to say
this song will be in demand at concerts across the county.
Many credit Glenn Stevenson with being one of the driving forces behind
Lee
Williams & The Spiritual QC’s elevation to the national stage. Glenn was
instrumental in
The Gospel Legends landing with MCG Records. With this project,
MCG Records have put the world on notice that they are looking to open the
doors to the next generation of gospel quartet singers. Immediately upon
signing with MCG Records, the group was tapped for a LIVE recording. On May 2,
2009, they were part of the
Lee Williams & The Spiritual QC’s Live recording in
Memphis, Tennessee.
The CD is appropriately titled -
Transition. With this project,
The Gospel Legends have transitioned from just
another local group to the national stage. They are positioning
themselves to become THE youthful gospel quartet group to take this genre to
the next level.
This release from
The Gospel Legends is a great gospel quartet
project.
We give The Gospel Legends'
Transition
a 9 out of 10. To purchase this CD contact
MCG Records. Click on the title to
hear “Go
Ahead."
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